Sugar-beet harvester.



No. 705,747. Patented .Iuly 29, |902.

R. M. FRASER.

SUGAR BEET HARVESTER.

(Application led Mar. 6, 17899.)

we Noms verras no. mmc-nwo.wxsummnmp r- No. 705,747; Patented my 29, |902.

R. M. FRASER.

SUGAR BEET HARVESTER.

`Application med Mar. s, 1899.) i (No Modal.; 2 sheeis-sheet,2

l www the shoe-gage and yoke.

UNITED STATES RUSSELL M. FRASER, OE NORFOLK, NEBRASKA.

SUGAR-BEET HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.1`705g74'7, dated July 29, 1902.

Application led March 1899. Serial No. 708,020. (Nc model.)

while the latter are in the ground and dig the roots and separate them from the tops in an eective manner with a minimum of waste, and a further object is to provide a machine of this character which may be operated by one man.

The manner in which I attain the objects above set forth and others of simplicity of construction and ease of operation is'illus' trated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application for a patent, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a machine made in accordance with my invention. Fig.

2 is a top plan View of the same, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig.V 4 is a View, partly' in section and partly in side elevation," showing vation showing manner of securing the gage to the yoke.

Generally speaking, my machine consists of two parts, one for separating the tops from the roots and the other for digging the'roots; but both of said parts are operable by the same power. y In the drawings, l represents the main axle or driveshaft of my machine, which is sup-` ported by the usual ground-wheels 2. Secured to and supported by-the axle is aAmain frame which is composed of parallel side bars 3 and a front end bar 4, which connects the forward ends of the side bars. Mounted on the main axle is a sprocketfwheel 5, which by a suitable clutch mechanism is geared to one of the ground-wheels 2, so that Vit may be thrown in andout of"gear by the rider, as maybe required. Suspended from the front cross-bar in suitable hangers is a small shaft 6, on the center of which is mounted a sprocketewheel 7, and on one end of said shaft 6, in line with the sprocket-wheel 5, is mounted a second sprocketwheel 8. An endless link belt or chain 5a is carried by the sprocket-wheels 5 scribed.

are rearwardly and downwardly extending arms 9, which support at their opposite or lower ends a yoke or frame lO, which in turn supports the topping mechanism, to be de- This yoke or frame is preferably made of malleable iron and carries in its upper part a small shaft 10a, in the center of which is mounted a sprocket-wheel 10b and on each side of said sprocket a bevel-pinion 10. To the downwardly-extending arms of the yoke 10 are secured shafts 10d, on the upper ends of which are carried bevel-pinions 10e, which mesh with the like pinions l0c on the shaft 10, and on the lower ends of said shafts 10d are mounted concave or dished disks 1l. The disks Il are positioned so that their peripheries touch and are set at an angle to the plane of the ground. A sprocketchain 11St is carried on the sprockets-wheels 7 and 10b and communicates power from the 'formerfto the latter, and said power is trans ,mittedto the disks l1 by means of the shaft Hlr0-,"bevel`pinions 10C and 10e, and shafts 10d,

as will clearly appear from Fig. 2, thus causing the said disks to rotate upon the for ward movement of the machine. I prefer to hang the said yoke loosely from the front shaft 6 by means of the arms 9, so that the latter may turn slightly on the shaft, thus permitting the cutting mechanism to yield as the wire shoe-gage slides over the top of the beets. Secured to the yoke by a forwardly-eXtending arm 17 is a shoe-gage 17, which isformed of parallel wires bent in the shape of a sled=runner. This gage is set just forward of the cutting-disks 1l and controls the depth to which said disks may cut the top of the beets. The wires are set far enough apart to permit of the passage between them of the beet-tops. This gage is both vertically and horizontally adjustable.

Bolted to the forward part of the side bars 3 is a wroughtiron frame l2, which extends rearwardly and is bent upon itself and rests on the axle 1. Bolted to the frame l2 is a standing colter or cutting-blade 13, and to the opposite side of the frame is similarly ICO bolted a landside 14. Extending from the standard of the landside at right angles is a shaft on which is mounted a rolling disk colter 15. Secured to the standing coIter and having its teeth extending rearwardly back of the rolling colter is a rake 16. Pivoted to the side of the frame or side bars 3 is a lifting-lever 17 of usual form, which is connected with the frame 12 and by means of which the depth at which the colters may run is regulated, said lever having a spring-pawl 17C, which engages the notches in a segment, 17b in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, topping mechanism composed of rotating disks, shafts supporting and rotating said disks, means for rotating said shafts operable from the ground-Wheels of the machine, shoe-gage hung in front of said disks, in combination with a digging mechanism consisting of colters angularly disposed to each other, a landside and means for separating the dirt from the roots unearthed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the character described, topping mechanism composed of horizontallydisposed disks, shafts supporting and rotating. said disks, means for rotating said shafts operable from the ground-Wheels, shoegage hung in front of said disks, in combination vWith digging mechanism consisting of a standing colter, a rolling colter set at an angle to the standing colter, means for supporting said rolling colter, a landside, means for separating the dirt and the roots dug, a pivoted frame supporting said digging mechanism and means for raising and lowering said frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RSSELL M. FRASER.

Vitnesses:

C. W. LEMONT, CHESTER A. FULLER. 

